FEMALE students at Mieresini Secondary School in Moshi Municipality, Kilimanjaro Region have a reason to smile after being given 2,400 pieces of sanitary pads to reduce absenteeism and improve academic performance at the school.

Receiving the sanitary pads from sugar producers, Mieresini Secondary School headmaster Prosper Mosha expressed the school community's gratitude for the donation, emphasizing that it came at the right moment and served its intended purpose.

The DC lauded Kilombero Sugar along with other Illovo Sugar Africa subsidiaries who joined hands under the Kilimanjaro Expeditions Initiative, urging other stakeholders to team up and support schools in the region to create a better teaching and learning environment.

“Our students come from different socio-economic backgrounds, so more of them need more of such support,” he said.

Moshi District Commissioner Zephania Sumaye highlighted that the government is always ready and supportive of all stakeholders who support the government agenda, including the education sector. He stated, 'Today, I extend my sincere gratitude to Kilombero Sugar for engaging with the community in such a unique way.'

The initiative involves 17 climbers from 8 different countries of operation within the ABF Sugar Group who have been selected to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, the tallest peak in Africa. The expedition is in honor of the Mandela legacy and aims specifically to raise funds and awareness for addressing period poverty and keeping girls in school in the ABF Sugar operatives' surroundings.

Victor Byemelwa, Kilombero Sugar's Communications and Stakeholder Relations Manager elaborated that the expedition aims to raise funds for a program addressing Period Poverty in a local Tanzanian community and other communities across our operations and to raise awareness of this cause.

The aim is to showcase diversity and inclusion through the participation of various climbers in this group to highlight the beauty of Tanzania as the host country for this group and to emphasize Mt. Kilimanjaro as a tourist attraction with a conscience.

Fimbo Butallah, Kilombero Sugar's commercial director stated that the firm together with other ABF Sugar subsidiaries, is today handing over 2400 pieces of sanitary pads to the school as part of our business commitment to thriving the community we serve.

Butallah added that he is pleased that about 60% of the students at this school are girls, emphasizing the aim to keep girls in school by combating period poverty. He shared plans to continue addressing this agenda by donating to other schools in different regions in the following months.